This invention relates to a tape cassette provided with an image source tape such as ink ribbon and an image receiving tape and also to a tape printer for use with such a tape printer, the tape printer having a printing head and a platen disposed in a face-to-face relation to each other such that the two tapes in the tape cassette are driven through a printing area between the printing head and platen for printing an image from the printing head onto the image receiving tape via the image source tape by, for instance, a thermal printing process or a thermal transfer process, the image receiving tape after the printing being used as label or the like.
In the prior art tape printer, however, the printing is done on the non-adhesive surface of the single-side adhesive tape when obtaining a tape for general display or as a label. Therefore, after the tape is applied at an intended position or to an intended object by separating the separable sheet, the printed image is liable to become blurred by being touched by an object. To prevent this, it is necessary to cover the printing surface by applying a transparent sheet or the like thereto, which is cumbersome. Further, peel-off of the print is liable to result due to direct contact of the printing surface with a feed roller when the tape is fed out of the tape printer after printing.
Further, the tape printer of the type described is mostly used to produce tapes for general display or serving as labels.
In other words, there has been no tape printer to produce a tape, which is used to obtain a lettering image by pushing a print on its image receiving tape on a separate sheet.